Bay Area residents can expect slightly warmer temperatures throughout the week, although the region will remain cooler than expected this time of year. According to the National Weather Service in San Francisco, thermometers should climb by a marginal 2-5 degrees after a tepid weekend. Underneath their umbrellas of morning clouds, areas will catch breaks of clear, breezy afternoons before the evening summons the clouds once more, recurring like the ebb and flow of an indifferent tide. "Despite the modest warming, we are still expected to stay below the seasonal normal," noted the NWS update.
Looking down the road toward the end of July and early August, the weather pattern remains predictable with slight tweaks. The push and pull of high pressure over the Gulf States and the trough hanging off the West Coast from a stout Gulf of Alaska low maintains California's weather on a firm, yet gradually shifting keel. Mid-week commuters should be aware that strong onshore winds will be increasingly apparent, their strength might gain steadily as they dance between high and thermal lows angled across the Western states. Observing this development, a confident 2 km WRF ensemble suggests, per the National Weather Service, "The strength increases through the next several days."
With these climatic intricacies in mind, pilots might encounter less-than-ideal conditions, with low stratus clouds leading to limited visibility across various airfields. "Currently a mixed bag of LIFR-MVFR at the terminals," stated the NWS report, cautioning that stratus could persist near coastal terminals beyond the high noon. Flyers out of SFO should brace for a possible string of IFR conditions stretching well into the night, wrapped in westerly winds as firm as the region's resolve against nature's whims.
Mariners won't be spared by the winds either, as the maritime forecast predicts moderate to fresh northwesterly breezes with widespread strong gusts expected by tomorrow afternoon. The sea reflects the sky's moods, growing moderate to rough in response, while low-hanging clouds contribute drizzle to the mix, persisting through Thursday. Under the care of these seas and winds, sailors should take heed of the NWS Marine Advisory, as small craft advisories are in place for several zones along the coast from today until the wee morning hours of the following day.
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